Review:
Disney’s Frozen was a “welcome return to form” AMG in the tradition of animated musicals in which characters broke into song. AMG The story was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen. The movie took home the Oscar for Best Animated Featured Film and the soundtrack proved to be a monster. It became only the fourth soundtrack from an animated film to top the U.S. album charts. WK With 13 weeks logged on top, it became the biggest soundtrack since 1998’s Titanic. WK It became the best-selling album of 2013 with more than 10 million albums sold worldwide.

Robert Lopez Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon), one of twelve people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, AMG teamed up with Kristen Anderson-Lopez (In Transit, Winnie the Pooh) to write original Broadway-style songs for the soundtrack. Idina Menzel’s version of Let It Go won the Oscar for Best Song, sold more than 8 million worldwide, and garnered over 400 million views on YouTube.

Let It Go

The soundtrack offered a balance of songs with comic relief (In Summer, Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People) alongside musical interplays (For the First Time in Forever) between the two leading ladies, sisters Anna and Elsa, voiced respectively by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel.

In addition, Christophe Waltz, fresh off an Oscar win for short Paperman, provided the score. His instrumentals provided “much of the soundtrack’s drama and suspense…[incorporating] orchestral, choral, and folk-inspired elements.” AMG

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

While my posts typically focus on songs, albums, and events which significantly impacted the music world, this entry focuses on a little-known performer who ranks as one of my favorite singers. “Sometimes genius comes and goes without much notice or fanfare. Such is the case with the late Kevin Gilbert,” P “a musical prodigy” JS who “colleagues invariably called…‘the most talented musician I ever met.’” JS He “spent several years on the edge of stardom [but] could never capitalize on his talents.” DE He “might be the most talented American musician to be involved with progressive rock, with the possible exception of Frank Zappa. Although all of his work contains a very strong pop element, there’s usually a lot of prog underneath it.” DN

NRG/Giraffe (1984-89): In the mid-‘80s, while still in high school, Gilbert released his first album, No Reasons Given, with the group NRG. That album is free to download at KevinGilbert.com. In the late ‘80s, Gilbert spent a year as a film student at UCLA and took a gig as Eddie Money’s touring keyboardist before launching the group Giraffe. Between the release of their two albums, the band entered and won a national unsigned-bands competition.

Giraffe “Because of You”

Toy Matinee (1989-91): In the competition, Gilbert caught the attention of Patrick Leonard, a producer who had worked with Madonna and others. Leonard suggested a collaboration and the group Toy Matinee was born. “The lone Toy Matinee album was released in 1990 but effectively shelved by the record company.” WK “Gilbert assembled a new backing band [including an unknown Sheryl Crow as his keyboardist] to promote the album, eventually getting two [moderately] successful singles released: The Ballad of Jenny Ledge and Last Plane Out.” WK

Toy Matinee “Last Plane Out”

After the official Toy Matinee group imploded, Gilbert put together a touring group to perform the songs. He and Marc Bonilla did radio interviews and performances, such as this one for KTYD in which they played cover songs and showcased their knack for wittiness and fun.

He also did session work for established pop musicians, including Madonna and Michael Jackson. He also produced Keith Emerson’s album Changing States. Throughout the ‘90s, Gilbert worked as “a producer, film scorer, and session musician.” DN

Tuesday Night Music Club (1992-95): In 1992, Gilbert and producer Bill Bottrell, who’d helmed the Toy Matinee project, assembled a loose collective of musicians dubbed the Tuesday Night Music Club. They gathered weekly at Bottrell’s studio to hang out and make music. Gilbert brought Crow, with whom he’d struck up a relationship, and the gang carved out what would become her multi-platinum selling debut named after the crew. Gilbert had co-writing credit on many of the the song’s albums, including 1995 Grammy Record of the Year All I Wanna Do. “Crow later acrimoniously split with most of the musicians in the collective…[The rest of the TNMC’ers] worked with singer-songwriters Susanna Hoffs and Linda Perry on two more albums.” WK

Sheryl Crow “All I Wanna Do”

Thud/Tribute Work (1994-96): Gilbert worked tirelessly to open his own studio and, in 1995, released a solo album called Thud.

Kevin Gilbert “Joytown”

He also contributed songs to tribute albums of some of his favorite progressive rock artists as well – Genesis, Yes, and Gentle Giant. In 1994, Gilbert even performed Genesis’ rock-opera masterpiece The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway with a newly assembled version of Giraffe. Gilbert’s manager, Jon Rubin, “sent a copy of the recording to Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford who were searching for a new Genesis front man to replace Phil Collins.” WK Gilbert was supposedly set “to fly to London to audition for [the] vacated slot as Genesis’ lead singer” DE when tragedy struck.

Giraffe “Back in N.Y.C.”

Kevin’s Death (1996): On May 17, 1996, Rubin found Gilbert dead at his home just outside of Los Angeles. “The coroner listed the cause of death as ‘asphyxia due to partial suspension hanging.’ Friends and MTV more explicitly reported the cause as autoerotic asphyxiation.” MA The Los Angeles County coroners’ office reports four or five such deaths a year.

One can only imagine the possibilities of what Kevin Gilbert could have continued to contribute to the music world. Rubin, who once fronted ’70s pop band the Rubinoos and is now the executor of Gilbert’s estate, says, KG’s “death was tragic, but his life was not a tragedy.” RS As friend Tim Van Den Berg said, “I would like to believe that he is now blessing another world with his beautiful music.” TV

Posthumous Releases (2000-2009): At the time of his death, KG was working on a second solo album, the rock opera The Shaming of the True (which you can listen to here. It “was largely incomplete, but Gilbert’s estate asked Spock’s Beard drummer Nick D’Virgilio to complete it based on the extant tapes and Gilbert’s notes. A live album (composed mostly of songs from Thud), and a compilation of Giraffe material that Gilbert had been working on and an ‘industrial’ album with Gilbert’s latest group, Kaviar have also been released in the years since his death.” WK

Kevin Gilbert “Suite Fugue (Dance of the A&R Men)” (audio only)

The next seven years saw no activity, but three archival projects were released simultaneously in 2009 – the CD/DVD rerelease of Live at the Troubadour, now called Welcome to Joytown: Thud Live at the Troubadour, and the archival collections Nuts and Bolts collecting previously unreleased works from throughout Gilbert’s career. In 2010, Kevin Gilbert’s widely bootlegged 1991 Live at the Roxy was officially released as Toy Matinee Live. Check out all these albums at KevinGilbert.com.

Kevin Gilbert “Tired Old Man”

I have said that if I were a musician, Kevin Gilbert best represents the kind of music I would want to make. His lyrics go beyond clichéd love songs and are infused with witticism. His musicianship showcase the tireless hours he spent in the studio perfecting his craft. It was a shame to lose such an astonishing talent at 29. His work, however, lives on and for those uninitiated in his music, I hope this blog leads you down the same musical journey where KG’s music has taken me.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Happy birthday, Neil Young! Born November 12, 1945, in Toronto, Canada, this rock singer/songwriter and guitarist is one of the most recognized classic rockers in history. He first gained notice with Buffalo Springfield and also has worked with Crosby, Stills & Nash over the years. The brunt of his work, however, has been his solo output. In those three configurations, he has amassed ten albums which rank in the top 1000 of all time according to the DMDB.

In June 2011, a list of Neil Young’s top 20 songs of all time was posted on the DMDB Facebook page in response to a Rolling Stone poll. That list has now been expanded to a top 40 list. As always, DMDB lists are determined by creating an aggregate list from multiple other best-of lists and factoring in chart success, sales, airplay, and awards. More than 30 best-of Neil Young lists were factored in.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

This post was originally inspired in July 2012 when Billboard magazine put up a post on their website about musicians’ real names. The link annoyingly forces one to scroll through 150 pics to see the full list, so I’ve redone it here and added more names. In November 2013, I updated the list and am reposting it, inspired by Matthew Wilkening’s “Stage Name Origins” article at UltimateClassicRock.com.

First, a few thoughts. Some music stars might have had a tough go with their original names. How far would George Michael have gone with the unwieldy moniker of Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou? Queen’s Freddie Mercury would have spent a career explaining how to pronounce Farrokh Bulsara. Certainly Stevland Judkins doesn’t roll off the tongue as smoothly as Stevie Wonder. Would the rap world have taken Queen Latifah seriously as Dana Owens?

Still, I question why some of these stars changed their names. Come on, Marc Anthony. Didn’t you think Marco Muniz had a ring to it? Frankly, I like the name Cameron Thomaz just fine, Wiz Khalifa. And when you’ve got a great first name like Terius or Jayceon, why not work with that? I’m looking at you The-Dream and The Game.

There are also stars who understandably thought their given name wasn’t catchy enough, but probably should have searched a little longer for a better stage name. Admittedly, if my name were Wouter De Backer, I’d want something catchier, too – although I’m not sure Gotye is the best answer. And as for you, Adam Wiles, I get it. You wanted something that popped, that zinged, that people wouldn’t forget – so you went with Calvin Harris?? Keep trying.

Some stars’ names sound made up, but if you check their birth certificates, Madonna, Prince, and Ke$ha (sans dollar sign) really are their names. My favorite, though, is Neil Diamond. Guess what his real name is? Neil Diamond. Anyway, here’s a list of what I have gathered thus far. Stage names are listed first (alphabetically) followed by given names. Parentheses indicate a group with which the musician is closely identified.

A

Aaliyah: Aaliyah Dana Haughton

Johnny Ace: John Alexander Jr.

Cannonball Adderley: Julian Adderley

Adele: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, image from cnn.com

Clay Aiken: Clayton Holmes Grissom

Akon: Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam

Ed Ames: Ed Urick

Tori Amos: Myra Ellen Amos

Trey Anastasio (Phish): Ernest Joseph Anastasio III

André 3000 (Outkast): André Lauren Benjamin

Julie Andrews: Julia Elizabeth Wells

Marc Anthony: Marco Antonio Muniz

Adam Ant: Stuart Leslie Goddard

apl.de.ap (Black Eyed Peas): Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr.

Fiona Apple: Fiona Apple Maggart

A$AP Rocky: Rakim Mayers

Ashanti: Ashanti Shaquoya "Shani Bani" Douglas

Fred Astaire: Frederick Austerlitz

Chet Atkins: Chester Burton Atkins

A-Trak: Alain Macklovitch

Frankie Avalon: Francis Thomas Avallone

Avicii: Tim Bergling

B

Babyface: Kenneth Brian Edmonds

Erykah Badu: Erica Wright

Ginger Baker: Peter Edward Baker

LaVern Baker: Delores Williams

Hank Ballard (Hank Ballard and the Midnighters): John Henry Kendricks

Afrika Bambaataa: Kevin Donovan

Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd): Roger Keith Barrett

Beck: Bek David Campbell

Pat Benatar: Patricia Mae Andrejewski

Tony Bennett: Anthony Dominick Benedetto

Anthony Dominick Benedetto, image from Wikimedia.org

Brook Benton: Benjamin Franklin Pierre

Beyoncé: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles

Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys): Eric Reed Boucher

Bo Bice: Harold Elwin Bice III

Big Boi (OutKast): Antwan Andre Patton

The Big Bopper: Jiles Perry Richardson

Big Daddy Kane: Antonio Mortimer Hardy

Bjork: Bjork Gudmundsdottir

Black Francis (Pixies): Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV

Cilla Black: Priscilla Maria Veronica White

B.O.B.: Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr.

Marc Bolan (T-Rex): Marc Feld

Michael Bolton: Michael Bolotin

Bon Iver: Justin Vernon

Jon Bon Jovi: John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.

Gary “U.S.” Bonds: Gary Anderson

Bizzy Bone: Bryon McCane

Bono (U2): Paul David Hewson

Paul Hewson, image from bonoonline.com

Sonny Bono: Salvatore Philip Bono

Pat Boone: Charles Eugene Boone

David Bowie: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones

David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones, image from telegraph.co.uk

Bow Wow: Shad Gregory Moss

Boy George (Culture Club): George Alan O’Dowd

Bonnie Bramlett: Bonnie Lynn O’Farrell

Michelle Branch: Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch-Landau

Teresa Brewer: Teresa Breuer

Foxy Brown: Inga Marchand

Buckethead: Brian Carroll

Busta Rhymes: Trevor Taheim Smith, Jr.

C

Freddy Cannon: Frederick Anthony Picariello

Captain Beefheart: Don Van Vliet

Irene Cara: Irene Escalera

Eric Carr (KISS): Paul Charles Caravello

Vicki Carr: Florencia Cardona

Cat Power: Charlyn Marie Marshall

Chamillionaire: Hakeem Seriki

Gene Chandler: Eugene Dixon

Ray Charles: Ray Charles Robinson

Chubby Checker: Ernest Evans

Cher: Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPiere

Johnny Christ (Avenged Sevenfold): Jonathan Lewis Seward

Lou Christie: Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco

Charlotte Church: Charlotte Maria Reed

Eric Clapton: Eric Patrick Clapp

Gene Clark (Byrds): Harold Eugene Clark

David Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears): David Thomsett

Patsy Cline: Virginia Patterson Hensley

Virginia Patterson Hensley, image from last.fm

Commander Cody: George Frayne

Nat “King” Cole: Nathaniel Adams Coles

Jessi Colter: Miriam Johnson

Common: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.

Perry Como: Pierino Ronald Como

Coolio: Artis Ivey Jr.

Alice Cooper: Vincent Damon Furnier

Vincent Damon Furnier, image from arts.blogs.pressdemocrat.com

Elvis Costello: Declan Patrick McManus

John Cougar: John Mellencamp

Peter Criss (KISS): George Peter John Criscuola

Bing Crosby: Harry Lillis Crosby

David Crosby: David Van Cortland

Christopher Cross: Christopher Geppert

Miley Cyrus: Destiny Hope Cyrus

D

Dick Dale: Richard Monsour

D’Angelo: Michael Eugene Archer

Danger Mouse: Brian Joseph Burton

Bobby Darin: Walden Waldo Robert Cassotto

Dimebag Darrell: Darrell Abbott

Mac Davis: Morris Davis

Doris Day: Doris Kappelhoff

Taylor Dayne: Leslie Wonderman

Deadmau5: Joel Thomas Zimmerman

Jimmy Dean: Seth Ward

Kiki Dee: Pauline Mathews

Desmond Dekker: Desmond Dacres

Lana Del Rey: Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

John Denver: John Henry Deutschendorf

Rick Derringer: Richard Zehringer

Jason Derulo: Jason Desrouleaux

Jackie DeShannon: Sharon Lee Myers

Neil Diamond: Neil Diamond

Bo Diddley: Ellas Otha Bates (name upon adoption: Ellas McDaniel)

Diddy/P. Diddy/Puff Daddy: Sean John Combs

Sean John Combs, pick a name already and stick with it! Image from theurbandaily.com.